New York Giants' Carney to be looking for job soon

Bill Kostroun/Associated PressJohn Carney knows his time with the Giants is almost over.

NOTEBOOK

John Carney has made all nine field goals and each of his eight extra points while limiting opposing kick returners to 20.6 yards per return this season. Plus, he made a game-winning 22-yard field goal in overtime Sunday to beat the Bengals, 26-23.

Soon, though, he'll be out of a job.

The 44-year-old Carney was signed to fill in for the injured Lawrence Tynes, last year's NFC Championship Game hero for his 47-yard field goal in overtime. Tynes is now on his way back, having practiced all last week and kicking a bit before Sunday's game. He also said he could have been available for field goals if the team had no other options.

With the bye week next, Tynes will have plenty of time to heal his injured knee before the Oct. 5 game against the Seahawks. If he's ready to go, it'll be hard to imagine the Giants would keep both him and Carney on the roster.

"He's been fantastic. He's great to learn from," Tynes said after the game. "He's done everything and more than we've probably asked of him. I'm very impressed with how he handled everything."

So is coach Tom Coughlin.

"He's done very well," Coughlin said. "Let's face it: Pretty much everything we have asked the guy to do, he has done it."

Even Carney, who also connected from 24, 26 and 46 Sunday, conceded that his time with the Giants is over.

"This one, for me, as an opportunity to fill in for Lawrence and to be a part of the world champs, has been great blessing for me," said Carney, who's also spent time with the Buccaneers, (Los Angeles) Rams, Chargers, Saints, Jaguars and Chiefs -- and perhaps another team pretty soon -- in his 20-year NFL career.

Carney also spent time with one other team back in the 1980s.

"If you look at his bio, it says, 'John Carney, his age, date of birth,' and then it says college: He's a Notre Damer," said defensive end Justin Tuck, one of three proud Golden Domers on the Giants' roster. "He's ice, baby."

That means he's cool under pressure. And Carney is, having made between 10 and 20 game-winning kicks in his career.

"I don't keep count," he said.

Tuck realizes the stat sheet says the Giants had six sacks Sunday, but he knows the pressure wasn't as good and consistent as it needed to be.

"Sometimes, the stats are misleading. We had six sacks today, but I don't think we rattled (Bengals QB Carson Palmer)," Tuck said. "And then, there are other games when we've had no sacks and I think we've rattled quarterbacks."

Bengals starting MLB Dhani Jones, a Giant from 2000 to '03, was calling his former team "soft" on the field Sunday, according to one of the Giants who asked for anonymity because the on-field chatter is often considered to be between players only. The player said a few Giants were celebrating in Jones' direction after WR Amani Toomer's catch that set up Carney's game-winner.